This pilot project will evaluate a new mind-body intervention called Mind-Body Bridging (MBB) for reducing substance abuse problems in women who are undergoing a substance abuse treatment program. The main hypothesis is that MBB will be more effective than the control (standard) intervention program in helping people reduce their craving for illicit substances and/or alcohol.

Impact of Events Scale - Revised (IES-R) is a 22-item self-report measure that assesses subjective distress caused by traumatic events. The IES-R yields a total score (ranging from 0 to 88) and subscale scores can also be calculated for the Intrusion, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal subscales.

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale is one of the most common screening tests to determine an individual's depression quotient. The test measures depressive feelings and behaviors during the past week.

The Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (MOS-SS) provides an index of sleep problems and incorporates six sleep scale scores: 1) sleep disturbance, 2) sleep adequacy, 3) daytime somnolence, 4) snoring, 5) waking up short of breath with a headache, and 6) quantity of sleep. The MOS-SS is similar to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) developed at the same time, which includes more questions about sleep disturbance with seven more items overall. The 1-week assessment is adapted from the normal 4-week retrospective assessment.

Self compassion is measured by the Self-Compassion Scale that comprises 26 items. Self-compassion is an emotionally positive self-attitude that should protect against the negative consequences of self-judgment, isolation, and rumination (such as depression).

The Well-Being Index (WBI)is a 5-item scale developed and validated by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in Mental Health. The WBI will be used to assess whether participants show any changes in general well-being.

The Substance Abuse Education (SED) group will serve as the control intervention in which participants will receive instruction on a variety of topics included in the substance abuse treatment program curriculum. These will include, but are not limited to, information about anger management, smoking cessation, women's issues, and stress management, and approaches to help reduce cravings. Each week the TAU group will meet and a House of Hope (HOH) clinical staff member will discuss the above and related issues and how these may help individuals deal with their substance abuse and related psychological issues.

Behavioral: Substance Abuse Education

10 weeks of usual care for substance abuse.

Other Names:

Substance abuse usual care

Substance abuse treatment as usual

Experimental: Mind-body Bridging (MBB)

Participants in the experimental Mind-Body Bridging (MBB) group, in addition to their usual treatment for substance abuse, will additionally receive instruction on the basics of MBB, and will learn MBB techniques to help deal with their cravings and comorbid psychological conditions. A workbook will be incorporated into the curriculum to provide MBB participants with daily exercises and activities to help facilitate adherence to the MBB program.

This is a randomized clinical pilot study in which MBB will be compared with a standard treatment program for substance abuse. Both groups will run concurrently over the course of a 10-week period, twice per week.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 55 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Substance abuse or dependence

Resident/day client in the House of Hope substance abuse treatment program

Minimum stay in treatment at House of Hope for 3.5 months

Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

Psychosis

Suicide risk

Dementia

Significant withdrawal risk

Severe, unstable depression

Requires intensive mental health treatment

Cognitive impairment

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01438346